Certain refrigerator appliances include a dispenser that permits a user to access ice stored within the refrigerator appliance without opening the refrigerator appliance's doors. Such refrigerator appliances can include a paddle or other actuator mounted within a dispenser recess. The user can insert a cup into the dispenser recess or press it against the actuator in order to initiate a flow of ice or water into the cup.
To assist the user with operating the dispenser, certain dispensers include a light source mounted within the dispenser recess. The light source can direct light into the dispenser recess when the user inserts a cup into the dispenser recess and/or presses the cup against the actuator. Light from the light source can assist the user with locating the actuator or viewing the level of water or ice within the cup.
Certain refrigerator appliances utilize a light emitting diode (LED) mounted to a control panel positioned above the dispenser recess as the light source. In particular, such refrigerator appliances generally utilize a forward firing LED as the light source. When utilizing the forward firing LED, the control panel generally includes two separate printed circuit boards. The first printed circuit board can be vertically oriented and include buttons mounted thereto for permitting the user to input control selections, such as selecting between water and ice or whole ice and crushed ice. The second printed circuit board can be horizontally oriented, and the forward firing LED can be mounted thereto in order to direct light downwardly into the dispenser recess.
Utilizing forward firing LEDs can have certain drawbacks. In particular, manufacturing two separate printed circuit boards can be expensive. Thus, having two printed circuit boards can add to or increase the overall cost of the refrigerator appliance. Further, utilizing multiple orthogonally oriented printed circuit boards can consume valuable space within the dispenser.
Accordingly, a refrigerator appliance with features for directing light into a dispenser recess of the refrigerator appliance would be useful. In particular, a refrigerator appliance with features for directing light into a dispenser recess of the refrigerator appliance without utilizing multiple printed circuit boards would be useful.